’Pick and Mix’
Review by Fiona Murchie
This year’s spring performance from Crieff Drama Group was ‘Pick and Mix: a tasty selection of short comedies.’
The evening opened with ‘Trouble in the Works’ by Harold Pinter, first performed in 1959. John Cummings and Mike Owens played factory boss, Mr Fibbs, and his foreman, Mr Wills, who has been called into the office to explain why the workforce is dissatisfied. With excellent working conditions and numerous perks, what can they possibly be put out about? As Mr Wills explains that they are unhappy about the items they are making, the audience was treated to a hilarious demonstration of verbal dexterity from both actors as they quoted the progressively elaborate products which have led to this mutiny. As the conversation proceeds, Mr Fibbs becomes increasingly aghast whilst Mr Wills warms to his theme, growing in confidence until, by the end of the scene, Mr Wills is sitting in the boss’s seat in a classic Pinter power-reversal. John and Mike’s experience and skill did real justice to this entertaining piece.
The next sketch was ‘Briefcase Encounter’ written and directed by the Drama Group’s own Fiona Wellstood who also played one of the roles. Set in the Lost Property office of Waverley Station, the first half the sketch reflected the transient nature of human interactions in such a setting with small comic parts for Tanya Clark, as a confused tourist, Jane Drysdale, as a train attendant dropping off items left on the latest train, and Tom Inglis as a minister with questionable taste in reading material.
Anchoring the piece is the long suffering Moira, played by Maggie Duncan, plagued by the insistence of her pedantic boss, Archie, Martin Brunton, that she stick to the protocols laid down by the company before returning valuable items. When Fiona Wellstood’s character, Jennifer, cannot produce the required photo ID to reclaim her lost laptop, Moira summons Archie to solve the dilemma. Moira is surprised to discover that Archie and Jennifer already know each other and – suffice to say that we are left with the feeling that this encounter will have a happier ending than its namesake.
As Station Announcer, Helen Day struck a good balance between making the setting more authentic and garnering several laughs with her entertainingly garbled announcements.
After the interval, CDG revisited Little Grimley with the sixth play in the series by David Tristram. Director Gordon N Campbell also penned an introduction, delivered by John Cummings, to set the scene for any in the audience unfamiliar with the antics of this hapless Amateur Dramatic Society struggling for an audience. In this episode, Chairman Gordon, confidently portrayed by Ian Lemon, has written a murder mystery in the optimistic hope that this will attract an audience.
Of course, the egotistical Gordon has cast himself as the hero detective but indomitable fellow cast member Margaret, played with cool composure by Ann Morrison, soon puts paid to that. The other cast members are the banana-eating set builder and reluctant performer, Bernard, and dyslexic, timid Joyce who cannot remember her lines and has no talent and is the butt of Gordon’s scorn. The contrast between Martin Brunton, as laid-back Bernard, and Kate Beauchamp as a convincingly nervy Joyce was excellent.
At the beginning of the play, poor Joyce had been the victim of a rather cruel practical joke played by Gordon but, when rehearsals are disrupted by the arrival of Alana James as a detective, the tables are turned and Gordon finds himself embroiled in a real murder mystery where he is the chief suspect.
Review by Fiona Murchie
This year’s spring performance from Crieff Drama Group was ‘Pick and Mix: a tasty selection of short comedies.’
The evening opened with ‘Trouble in the Works’ by Harold Pinter, first performed in 1959. John Cummings and Mike Owens played factory boss, Mr Fibbs, and his foreman, Mr Wills, who has been called into the office to explain why the workforce is dissatisfied. With excellent working conditions and numerous perks, what can they possibly be put out about? As Mr Wills explains that they are unhappy about the items they are making, the audience was treated to a hilarious demonstration of verbal dexterity from both actors as they quoted the progressively elaborate products which have led to this mutiny. As the conversation proceeds, Mr Fibbs becomes increasingly aghast whilst Mr Wills warms to his theme, growing in confidence until, by the end of the scene, Mr Wills is sitting in the boss’s seat in a classic Pinter power-reversal. John and Mike’s experience and skill did real justice to this entertaining piece.
The next sketch was ‘Briefcase Encounter’ written and directed by the Drama Group’s own Fiona Wellstood who also played one of the roles. Set in the Lost Property office of Waverley Station, the first half the sketch reflected the transient nature of human interactions in such a setting with small comic parts for Tanya Clark, as a confused tourist, Jane Drysdale, as a train attendant dropping off items left on the latest train, and Tom Inglis as a minister with questionable taste in reading material.
Anchoring the piece is the long suffering Moira, played by Maggie Duncan, plagued by the insistence of her pedantic boss, Archie, Martin Brunton, that she stick to the protocols laid down by the company before returning valuable items. When Fiona Wellstood’s character, Jennifer, cannot produce the required photo ID to reclaim her lost laptop, Moira summons Archie to solve the dilemma. Moira is surprised to discover that Archie and Jennifer already know each other and – suffice to say that we are left with the feeling that this encounter will have a happier ending than its namesake.
As Station Announcer, Helen Day struck a good balance between making the setting more authentic and garnering several laughs with her entertainingly garbled announcements.
After the interval, CDG revisited Little Grimley with the sixth play in the series by David Tristram. Director Gordon N Campbell also penned an introduction, delivered by John Cummings, to set the scene for any in the audience unfamiliar with the antics of this hapless Amateur Dramatic Society struggling for an audience. In this episode, Chairman Gordon, confidently portrayed by Ian Lemon, has written a murder mystery in the optimistic hope that this will attract an audience.
Of course, the egotistical Gordon has cast himself as the hero detective but indomitable fellow cast member Margaret, played with cool composure by Ann Morrison, soon puts paid to that. The other cast members are the banana-eating set builder and reluctant performer, Bernard, and dyslexic, timid Joyce who cannot remember her lines and has no talent and is the butt of Gordon’s scorn. The contrast between Martin Brunton, as laid-back Bernard, and Kate Beauchamp as a convincingly nervy Joyce was excellent.
At the beginning of the play, poor Joyce had been the victim of a rather cruel practical joke played by Gordon but, when rehearsals are disrupted by the arrival of Alana James as a detective, the tables are turned and Gordon finds himself embroiled in a real murder mystery where he is the chief suspect.
